Folding bedstead



(No Model.)

W. D. SNYDER.

FOLDING BEDSTEAD.

Patented May Z6, 1885.

INVENTR.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

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@Ntra raras .artnr Critica@ WILLIAM D. SNYDER OF COLUMBIA CITY, INDIANA.

FOLDING BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,813, dated May 26,1885.

Application died February 16,1884. (No model.)

To @ZZ wiz/0m, it may concern.,-

Be it known that l, WILLIAM D. SNYDER, a resident of the town ofColumbia City, in the county of Whitley, State of Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Folding Bedsteads; and I dohereby declare that the following is a clear, full, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable those skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tot-he accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specicat-ion, andin which- Figure l is a vertical sectional view of my improved bed whenopen. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the same closed. Fig. 3 is a similarview of the lower part of the bed, showing it half open or closed. Fig.4 is a` horizontal View of section on line x a: in Fig. 1.

My invention relates to that class of folding beds using a shiftingfulcrum or pivot, upon which the bed is folded, in connection with apanel sliding vertically in the back of the bed, to which a suitablecounter-balance is attached; and it consists in the improvedconstruction and combination of such parts.

In the drawings, A indicates the frame or casing, into which thebedirame B is folded, and two horizontal ways, C, which are eithersmooth or ccgged, are secured upon the inner sides of the side pieces ofthe casing, near their lower ends, the rockers D, which are secured uponthe outer sides of the side pieces of the bed-frame, near their innerends, rocking upon these ways and forming the traveling fulcrum.

A panel, E, is hinged at its lower edge to the upper edge of thehead-board F of the bed-frame, and is hinged at its upper edge to thelower edge of a sliding panel, G, which is provided with groovedanti-friction rollers H, which engage with the two beaded guides or waysI, secured vertically upon the inner sides of the side pieces of thecasing A, near their rear edges.

A counterpoise, J, is secured to the sliding panel G; and it will beseen that when the bed is folded up in the casing the swinging panel Ewill occupy a vertical position, causing the counterpoise to beardirectly upon the upper edge of the head-board of the folding bed part,

thus holding it securely closed, and as the outer end of bed-frame islowered the swinging panel will push the sliding panel upward, graduallyswinging outward at its lower edge until the panel, when the bed isunfolded to its horizontal position, will bear against the bed in adownward and outward position, thus holding the bed-frame securely open,and preventing it from closing prematurely.

By the construction of the parts and their operation, as thus shown anddescribed, the bed, when open, is thrown out of the casing to such anextent that the head of the occupant is not coniined within the casing,thus insuring better ventilation and greater com fort than in the usualconstruction of such beds, wherein the head of the bed-frame is'connedaltogether within the casing.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that in an open position,as in Fig. 1, the fulcrum is at the point Z, in Fig. 3 at the point Y,and in a closed position at X, as in Fig. 2. By this shifting of thefulcrum the weight of the counterpoise attached to the sliding panel andthe weight of the bed-frame are equalized in any position, excepting theopen and closed positions, as before stated, thereby greatlyfacilitating the opening or closing of the bed.

The legs orsupports K for the outer end of the swinging bed-frame arepreferably hinged so as to fold downward when the frame is raised,forming a crown-piece for the casing.

The grooved anti-friction rollers H, in connection with the verticalbeaded guides I, form a guide for the sliding panel G, which preventsthe panel from cramping or binding in its upward and downward motionincident to the vibrating of the bed-frame in opening or closing thebed, thereby avoiding any tendency to throw the bed over in opening it,and using all of the weight of the counterpoise, as none is lostby thefriction, as in the ordinary method.

Vvvhile I prefer the position of the horizontal ways C in Figs. l, 2,and 3, I do not wish to limit myself to it, as the ways C may be set atan angle, the inner end lower than the outer end, without materiallychanging the working of the rockers upon them.

IOO

I am aware that folding beds have been f made with shifting fulcrums ofvarious kinds in connection with the sliding panel and counterpoise; butI am not aware of any construction in which the horizontal ways androckers, as described in this specification, in connection with theswinging panel and the slidingpanel, as described, have been used. TheseI regard as very desirable features in a folding bed, as it will be seenby referring to drawings that the bed is brought close to the floor inan open position,and it is easily closed by employing a minimum weightof counterpoise.

I am aware that the state of the art showsit to be old in foldingbedsteads to construct a panel to slide in grooves in connection withanti -friction rollers and counterbalancing weights or springs, and toswing the bed within the bed-frame upon shifting fulcrurns, saidfulcrums consisting of horizontal and curved bars or plates providedwith eogs; and Ido not therefore claim any of these features, broadly.

My claims are based upon a peculiar arrangement and combination ofpreviouslyknown parts; but by my arrangement, especially of the jointedpanels and rockers, when the bed is open the upper panel bears upon thelower one in a downward and outward position, so as to hold the bedsteady and obtain the advantage, already described, of throwing the headof the bed practically out of the casing, and by which arrangement ofpanels and rockers the `bed is also prevented from closing prematurely;also, by my arrangement of rockers the upper rocker can be adjusted soas to bring the bed closer to the floor, and still present the sameleverage as in a higher one; and, finally, in reducing the friction andadding to the general convenience of operation by the arrangement ofanti-friction rollers and the counterpoise.

f Having-thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- 1. In a folding bed, in combinationwith the casing A and the frame B, the horizontal ways C, secured uponthe inner sides of the side pieces ofthe casing,neartheir lower ends,the rockers D, forming the traveling fulcrum and secured upon the outersides of the side pieces of the bed-frame, near their inner ends, thehead-board F, of the form shown, the sliding panel G, provided withgrooved anti-friction rollers H, engaging with the beaded guides in WaysI, the panel E, hinged at its lower edge to the upper edge of thehead-board F and at ,its upper edge to the lower edge of the slidingpanel G,and the counterpoise J, secured to the back of the sliding panelG, substantially as described.

2. In a folding bed, the sliding panel G, the

counterpoise J, secured to the back of the panel G, the swinging panelE, and the headboard F, of the form shown, the said panel E hinged atits upper end to G and itslower end to F, the horizontal ways, andthe'roclrers, all arranged as shown, whereby when the bed is folded upthe said counterpoise will bear directly upon the upper edge of the saidheadboard, and when the bed is lowered the'lsliding panel G is forceddownward and outward against the head-board F, and the head-board Fforced and held outward, so that the head of the bed shall be nearlyoutside of the easing, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereuntoaffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses;

WM. D.' SNYDER.

